In a statement on Tuesday, National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, said the comments by the retired justice were pre-emptive of the judgment.
By Jeffrey Agbo
The Labour Party (LP) has expressed worry over a statement by the retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Mary Odili, about the much-awaited judgment of the Presidential Election Petition Court.
At a colloquium and book launch on Sunday of J.K. Gadzama on his 25 years as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Odili said feeling cheated in the 2023 election doesn’t justify blackmailing judges and bringing Nigeria down, adding that the controversies would be ended by the judges’ decision.
However, in a statement on Tuesday, National Publicity Secretary of the LP, Obiora Ifoh, said the comments by the retired justice were pre-emptive of the judgment.
Ifoh said, “The unguarded statement from the former Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice Mary Odili, in Abuja, last week at a colloquium to mark the 25th anniversary of the elevation of a renowned jurist, JK Gadzama to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
“And the boasting of some persons, serving ministers and notable legislators about the outcome has left our party in shock.
“When those who should know the importance of the sanctity of the judiciary descend to the arena of abusing it with their pre-emptive utterances just to show loyalty and support to their interests, we as a party see this as unfortunate and dangerous to our democratic journey as a nation.
“We note also the needless lavish showering of praises on the legal counsels of both APC and candidate Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the retired Justice when the gathering was not theirs.”
The LP said it finds this “extremely undignified” of a renowned justice “who rose to the peak of her career in the country’s Apex court and who as the Chairperson of the body of benchers, should be at the forefront of defending the virtuousness of the courts.”
“Also curious to every discerning mind watching the unfolding events in Nigeria since the February 25th Presidential election is the fact that the PEPC refused to live coverage of the hearings of the petition, and is now anxious to have the conclusion beamed live.
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“What is it that has happened between the hearing period and the delivery of the judgment that the live coverage, which they claimed was a policy issue changed suddenly at the delivery point?”
Continuing, the party’s spokesperson added, “We are aware of the efforts of the agents of the States to orchestrate problems and blame them on the political opposition.
“We wish to emphasise that it is the right of the people in a democracy to demonstrate and the obligation of state security agents to protect the demonstrators and those not demonstrating.
“We implore Nigerians to remain calm and peaceful, abide by the rule of law, and understand that this matter has not reached its logical and final conclusion.”